[Forfoxake]

This is an outrageous action by the authorities in Belarus. Unless there is a strong reaction from the international community, no civilian flight over many states is safe again.

[Flyin'Dutch']

@SafetyThird

After a bomb threat and having a MIG or two near you, knowing how MH17 ended up?

Hardly.

[johnm]

Belarus is clearly in breach of a long list of international laws and conventions and should be isolated, no flights in or out, no financial transactions, no trade, nothing....

[squawking 7700]

@Forfoxake

strong reaction from the international community

- what do you suggest? the reality is, that nothing that will be done (if anything is done) will have punitive consequences for Lukashenko.
Let's face it, look what Putin has been up to, what's actually happened to affect Russia?

[Bill McCarthy]

What @johnm says.

[Colonel Panic]

@akg1486 I am in no way suggesting that what happened was anything other than reprehensible. I was just uncomfortable with the intra EU bit.

[riverrock]

I wouldn't blame the pilots - they'll do what they are told, and they wont know anything about the people in the back.

[Bill McCarthy]

Well, the Irish wanted to stop UK overflights of their country after - you know what !

[kanga]

BBC Newspaper summary:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/blogs-the-papers-57223902

"The Financial Times..

It also quotes an MP from Russia, a key Belarusian ally, as hailing the operation as "brilliant". "

This sounds to me like Russian government approving 'by proxy' .. unsurprising, perhaps, but further worrying. Russian actions overseas are looking less like those of 'rogue actors' all the time.

[Genghis the Engineer]

I wouldn't blame the pilots - they'll do what they are told, and they wont know anything about the people in the back.

Let's face it, with a MiG on your wing and a clear instruction where to divert to on RT, what else are you going to do?

G

[akg1486]

I read that the aircraft was only two minutes from Lithuanian airspace, would they really not have just kept on course for that two extra minutes. Does anyone know if the Mig actually threatened them? Presumably the doors to the cockpit were still secure. I completely understand not wanting to risk the passengers but given how close they were would you not keep going?

I have no idea what was said, but every airline pilot learns what the phrase "DE-SCEND" and wingtippings from military aircraft mean. I hardly think the pilot should keep going if either of those happen.

I'm quite sure the pilots will be debriefed about the details, but that may not leak to the press.

[johnm]

This highlights the degree to which the West is still spending vast amounts of time and effort on equipping for a military and political strategy that was obsolete 50 years ago when the Israelis were already signposting the future.

Putin and his ilk have taken those lessons to heart and we are not yet geared up to deal with them.....

[eltonioni]

Expect hard-hitting sanctions any day now, including additional agricultural products, a car plant, and a contract for a new gas pipeline.

[PeteSpencer]

Can’t see why the Foreign Secretary is jumping up and down on M O’L’s behalf .

Isn’t it the case that RYR aircraft are registered in Eire? That’s EU business , not ours.

A bit like the Eurostar financial bail out -nowt to do with us

[Flyin'Dutch']

Can’t see why the Foreign Secretary is jumping up and down on M O’L’s behalf .

Isn’t it the case that RYR aircraft are registered in Eire? That’s EU business , not ours.

A bit like the Eurostar financial bail out -nowt to do with us

That is a very shortsighted view.